ActionSA Questions SAHRC’s Commitment Following Silence on Water Complaint
Press Statement by Norman Sibitane
ActionSA Mpumalanga Provincial Secretary
ActionSA expresses serious concern over the South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) continued failure to provide any feedback on a formal complaint and follow-up questions submitted in June 2025 regarding water access violations in Mangweni (Ward 17) and Emjindini Trust (Ward 41).
Despite the gravity of the matter, ActionSA has received no response or update from the Commission. Multiple follow-up emails have been sent, yet no communication has been forthcoming. This silence is unacceptable.
The SAHRC is constitutionally mandated to protect and promote human rights, particularly in cases where vulnerable communities are subjected to prolonged service delivery failures. The lack of response in this instance raises serious concerns about the Commission’s commitment to its oversight role. Communities in Mangweni and Emjindini Trust continue to face severe water challenges, relying on inadequate and inconsistent temporary measures while long-term solutions remain absent. The failure to act decisively only deepens the crisis and prolongs the hardship faced by residents.
ActionSA calls on the SAHRC to urgently provide a clear update on the status of the complaint, account for the lack of response to the follow-up submissions, and outline timelines for intervention
Access to water is a basic constitutional right. The continued lack of urgency in addressing this matter undermines both accountability and public trust. ActionSA will continue to pursue this issue until the rights and dignity of affected communities are upheld.
ActionSA Questions SAHRC’s Commitment Following Silence on Water Complaint
ActionSA expresses serious concern over the South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) continued failure to provide any feedback on a formal complaint and follow-up questions submitted in June 2025 regarding water access violations in Mangweni (Ward 17) and Emjindini Trust (Ward 41).
Despite the gravity of the matter, ActionSA has received no response or update from the Commission. Multiple follow-up emails have been sent, yet no communication has been forthcoming. This silence is unacceptable.
The SAHRC is constitutionally mandated to protect and promote human rights, particularly in cases where vulnerable communities are subjected to prolonged service delivery failures. The lack of response in this instance raises serious concerns about the Commission’s commitment to its oversight role. Communities in Mangweni and Emjindini Trust continue to face severe water challenges, relying on inadequate and inconsistent temporary measures while long-term solutions remain absent. The failure to act decisively only deepens the crisis and prolongs the hardship faced by residents.
ActionSA calls on the SAHRC to urgently provide a clear update on the status of the complaint, account for the lack of response to the follow-up submissions, and outline timelines for intervention
Access to water is a basic constitutional right. The continued lack of urgency in addressing this matter undermines both accountability and public trust. ActionSA will continue to pursue this issue until the rights and dignity of affected communities are upheld.